URGENT COMMUNITY MEETING - BOOTLE YMCA, PARK STREET, THIS THURSDAY @ 5:30pm.Hi all, Myself, Barbara Rouse and Kim Turner have arranged an emergency meeting to discuss local issues, in particular the gang related crime we have been experiencing of late, and in particular in and around South Park. However please feel free to ask any questions of concern. We are asking people to arrive from 5:30pm onwards. We will give you paper to write down your question, and myself, Barbara and Kim will collate these. At 6pm Sergeant Kate Young will be attending to address concerns and answer your questions. The councillors are unfortunately attending a full council meeting and so will not be in attendance, however they are arranging a further meeting with the Police and themselves.The Police community meetings in our area were cancelled due to non-attendance and so this is our opportunity to show that (a) we do care about our community and (b) we want action. Please make every effort to attend. I know it's short notice but we wanted to get this set up asap due to the recent incident in South Park.Barbara has kindly arranged refreshments for all attending.A further meeting will be held in Linacre Ward for concerns in that area and this will be arranged with Kim Turner.Thanks all.

To clarify answers to the questions that were submitted to me on paper as follows:

Cyclists on pavements.

The Force as a whole are moving away from such prosecutions for a number of reasons, not least road safety. That said if individuals are riding in a dangerous or eratic manner on the pavement that we will take action were possible and the option of fixed penalty notices are still available to us.

Fines – Dog fouling / littering

As discussed last night these are difficult to prosecute as evidence of those responsible has to be obtained. In addition to Police enforcement the option of utilising the local authority Officers is available and we will always look to take positive action were appropriate. Quite often asking someone to pick up the item is normally sufficient.

Future of PCSO’s

We have lost a number of PCSO’s in recent months mainly due to the recruitment of Police Officers. The Force is looking to increase PCSO numbers again in the coming months and recruitment is likely.

Speeding Southport Rd.

This area is regularly attended by the mobile speed camera van, I will ensure that your concerns are passed on and that the area remains on their patrol.

As I emphasised last night please get in touch with either myself or other members of the Neighbourhood team with regards to any concerns you have and please utilise crimestoppers to report any intelligence you may have. With regards to incidents that are occurring at that time please report them via 101 or 999 as appropriate.

For those of you who I spoke to with regards to specific issues, can I encourage you to make contact so that we can address them long term.

Michael – as discussed please let me know dates for the planned litter picks and any other activity in the area that you would like our input.

Thank you for taking the time to attend and report Michael. We all have our reasons for non attendance at public meetings, my opinion is that apathy would be high upon the list. How can she and Merseyside Police tackle dog fouling when seeing PC's on the beat is as rare as rocking horse muck?

She tells citizens that all it takes is to ask the offenders to pick their dog muck up, is she for real? you would probably get a mouthful of abuse or more. If they have no consideration about dogs leaving their mess, why would they be polite if challenged about it?

We have seen the erosion of public services over the years and we have all had a good moan about it. However, the Gov. Of the day disregards the people's opinions and gives them lip service by having meetings. The answers Kate gave are more or less what I would have expected her to say if I'd have attended. What else could she tell the audience when the police's budget is as low as the public turnout?

I used to work in the Parks and Gardens in the early eighties and the area we covered, Maghull, Lydiate, Old Roan, Melling and Lunt was always kept immaculate. The grass verges were always short and the hedges likewise.

Look at them today, they're either overgrown, or white where they have just cut them. The grass must only get cut once a month or so. I'm sure there are other members who used to work for Sefton Council, who can endorse my opinion.

Bernie Johno does his best to move rubbish that has been dumped in the street, but it's like holding back the tide. The people of Bootle on the whole care about there environment, but there is an element that has no civic pride or pride in themselves. How many times have you been in the Strand or walking along the road and seen children, and adults, throw their rubbish on the ground?